THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, January 5: A week-long anti-drug awareness campaign ‘DAWN’ (Drug Awareness and Wellness Navigation) was launched in Palamu district on Monday morning, drawing a strong public response despite the foggy and cold weather.
The campaign carried the message “Say Yes to Life, No to Drugs” and aims to sensitise youth and the general public about the growing menace of substance abuse.
Week-Long Drive Under JHALSA Directions
The drive is being conducted under a standard operating procedure (SoP) issued by Justice Sujit Narain Prasad, Executive Chairman of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA).
Under the directions of Principal District and Sessions Judge Sriram Sharma, the awareness march was led by Chief Judicial Magistrate Manoranjan Kumar, DLSA Secretary Rakesh Ranjan, and officials from the district administration.
Rally Takes Out Modest City Circuit
The rally began at dawn from the Civil Court premises, Daltonganj, and took a modest detour around the Palamu Collectorate.
Participants included Deputy Collector Niraj Kumar, Law College Principal Pankaj Tiwary, law students, and members of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System (LADCS), including Amitabh C. Singh and Santosh Kumar Pandey.
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Campaign to Run Till National Youth Day
DLSA Secretary Rakesh Ranjan said the campaign will continue from January 5 to January 12, concluding on National Youth Day, when youth are expected to draw inspiration from Swami Vivekananda.
He added that the drive aims to reach schools, panchayats, slum areas, and rural pockets, where drug abuse is emerging as a serious concern.
Drug Abuse Deep-Rooted in Rural and Urban Areas
Sources highlighted disturbing trends, including the use of crude intoxicants made from burnt lizard tails mixed with tobacco or marijuana. Past incidents inside the Daltonganj Central Jail, where lizards were found tailless, had raised alarm.
Officials also pointed to family-run drug rackets and the involvement of young women in drug peddling in some localities.
Brown Sugar Seizures Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Police recently seized over 64 grams of brown sugar on January 1, followed by another seizure of 75 grams earlier. Officials said these were only a small fraction of the larger drug network, with links to the Garhwa district and routes via Mohaniya in Sasaram.
Rising Opioid Addiction Alarms Doctors
A mental health expert at MMCH Daltonganj warned that opioid addiction cases are increasing, and families often delay treatment, worsening the condition of patients.
Surveys suggest that in Medininagar Municipal Corporation’s 35 wards, there is no hamlet without drug addicts, indicating how deeply entrenched the problem has become.
Outreach to Slums and Marginalised Areas
The DLSA confirmed that the DAWN campaign will also cover slum areas, where substance abuse, particularly liquor consumption, is widespread.
Officials stressed that one drug user fuels the network of multiple drug peddlers, underlining the need for awareness and early intervention.
